Summary of Week 4

We have now reached the end of Week 4. We have learnt that neonatal deaths and stillbirths total almost 5 million each year. There is great potential for change in this area, within the framework of the Every Newborn Action Plan and Sustainable Development Goals. To reach the target of 12 newborn deaths per 1,000 live births in every country will require a major increase in the rate of progress in many countries with an intentional focus on specific high impact interventions such as care of small and sick newborns within hospitals.

Next week we will journey into the child part of the lifecycle. As we move forward in to child health, remember that 50% of all child deaths are within the neonatal period, and that for child survival and development, newborn health is essential. We will learn of the remarkable progress for child survival and the lessons learned from this, highlighting conditions left behind and new threats to child health and development.